Donkeys are a symbol of endurance for Palestinians – they are also a target of settler violence and care

A young Palestinian rides a donkey in the occupied West Bank on Sept. 30, 2025. John Wessels/AFP via Getty Images

Donkeys tend to symbolize humility and redemption; in Jewish tradition, the Messiah will arrive on a white donkey.

But in today’s “land of the Bible,” donkeys have become victims of the war in Gaza and, increasingly, targets of the growing settler violence in the West Bank.